Most dairy farmers will wear gloves while milking, but may not be aware just how important they are to their milking routine.
Managing cell counts in cows can be a challenge, but small changes to a milking routine or the management of cows can have a major impact.
Gloves
Wearing gloves during milking can greatly reduce the risk of transferring mastitis-causing bacteria from one cow to another.
Even after washing your hands, bacteria can still be present in cracks and creases, or under your nails.
This can make your hands a vessel for spreading bacteria, whereas a smooth surface, like that of a glove, makes it easier for bacteria to be removed and harder for it to stay.
It is important to note that wearing gloves is not however, a substitute for cleaning hands.
Farmers should continue to keep gloves clean and remove any obvious material that has become attached to them during milking.
If the gloves become dirty or damaged they should be removed and changed.
Milk quality
During the final months of the lactation a major focus needs to be placed on ensuring that milk quality is maintained on farms.
The focus is to ensure that milk quality remains high and cell counts stay low.
Often the simplest of measures or changes to the milking routine can make the biggest difference to maintaining or dropping cell counts.
It is also advised, during milking, to be wearing clean dairy wear such as an apron, and keep the parlour as clean as possible.
Hygiene is critical during the final months of lactation and wearing gloves makes it much easier to ensure that you are not the source of any infection.
Although completely eliminating cases will be almost impossible, wearing gloves while milking will go along way to reducing and preventing cases.